SAN NICOLAS, Ilocos Norte —- A drunk tricycle driver in this town found himself in hot water as he attempted to stab a newly-elected vice mayor here after a heated argument along the highway in San Francisco village here.

Police identified the suspect as Garry Bayudan, 38, married and resident of Barangay 24 Sta. Monica, San Nicolas town. He was probably irked at the loud honking of an orange Nissan pick-up driven by town Vice Mayor Edisto Marlon Valdez when the trike driver ahead of him suddenly stopped at the middle of the road.

After the incident which transpired at 3:55 p.m. on Monday, police report said the suspect moved forward and the elected Vice Mayor tried to overtake him but the suspect swerved his tricycle on the road to the extent that the latter nearly hit his vehicle, prompting the vice mayor to press again the horn of his vehicle.

The suspect then stopped his tricycle at the middle of the road while the vice mayor alighted from his vehicle and confronted the suspect. A heated altercation ensued between them but when the vice mayor noticed that the suspect was under the influence of liquor, he decided to go back to his vehicle.

But on his way back to his car, the suspect took a knife from the tricycle’s tool box and attacked the vice mayor from behind. Valdez was able to avoid the knife but he fell on the ground. The suspect again attempted to stab the him but the passenger of the suspect identified as Mark Jefferson Mariano, 31, restrained and pacified the suspect.

When the suspect realized that the person he was attempting to stab was the vice mayor of San Nicolas town, he immediately fled away.

A police manhunt operation followed and the suspect was arrested in San Francisco village along with a knife he allegedly used in attacking the vice mayor.

Valdez said he will pursue the filing of appropriate charges against Bayudan. PNA/northboundasia.com